A sample of eight large U.S. public pension funds shows that managers are making savvy decisions when it comes to investing in hedge funds. These plans have between $1.2 billion and $5.5 billion in hedge fund assets and have experienced average returns of 11% in the past year — much better than the performance of […]
For the most part, Canadians are getting the income they expect from their retirement plans — and they’re satisfied with it — according to a recent survey from Morneau Sobeco. Many organizations sponsor pension plans that comfortably exceed the expectations of employees. There were 217 responses, with 60% from the private sector and 40% from […]
French president Nicolas Sarkozy’s controversial plan to raise the official retirement age from 60 to 62 by 2018 has been approved by the lower house of parliament. The bill received the support of 329 legislators in France’s National Assembly. But 233 delegates from the opposition voted against the reform, and thousands more protested outside, angry […]
Most state and local government workers (61%) are uncertain if they have enough money set aside for their retirement, according to a recent ING study. The study also revealed that 43% have become more worried about their savings since the financial crisis. But most people aren’t doing anything about it, as 72% of those surveyed […]
Continued opposition from Alberta is threatening to derail plans to improve the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) by the fall, as federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty originally planned. Three months after Flaherty announced that a majority of his provincial and territorial counterparts supported a plan to strengthen Canada’s pension system, including the CPP, it appears unlikely […]
All aboard! The hedge fund express is about to take off — or is it about plunge downhill? It’s actually been moving in both directions, fairly unpredictably for most of the year. The roller coaster ride in August was indicative of how hedge funds have performed for most of 2010, said Anthony Lawler, head of […]
Manulife Financial Corp., and members of its pensions and benefits plans, have nothing to fear if there’s another financial crisis, CEO Don Guloien told an industry conference on Thursday. There has been ongoing concern about Manulife’s exposure to unpredictable equity markets, but the insurance company has taken steps to hedge its portfolio of guaranteed variable […]
The Alternative Investment Management Association (AIMA) Canada has announced Sept. 30 as its deadline for submissions for its Hillsdale Research Award. The award recognizes outstanding Canadian research in any aspect of alternative investments. The award, which is in its sixth year, carries a $10,000 cash prize and is open to academics, students and practitioners. Recipients […]
Bell Canada Enterprises (BCE) is paying dearly for its media power-play last week, as its costs are climbing, contributing to the worst month for Canada’s corporate bond market this year. BCE’s purchase of CTV drastically changed the landscape of the digital media industry, but at $1.3 billion, it came at a huge price. It has […]
A Canadian icon is making changes in an attempt to adapt to new market conditions, and position itself for greater stability in the future. Canadian Tire Corp. is revamping its executive suite to promote growth. CEO Stephen Wetmore is dishing out more responsibilities to some of his senior executives, hoping they can improve the company’s […]